The Washington Post reports: Donald Trump’s protocol-breaking telephone call with Taiwan’s leader was an intentionally provocative move that establishes the incoming president as a break with the past, according to interviews with people involved in the planning.
The historic communication — the first between leaders of the United States and Taiwan since 1979 — was the product of months of quiet preparations and deliberations among Trump’s advisers about a new strategy for engagement with Taiwan that began even before he became the Republican presidential nominee, according to people involved in or briefed on the talks.
The call also reflects the views of hard-line advisers urging Trump to take a tough opening line with China, said others familiar with the months of discussion about Taiwan and China. [Continue reading…]
This echoes the curious duality of Trump’s actions: they come across as hasty, spontaneous, and crude, yet often seem to fit into some larger strategy of belligerence and domination, of a kind that works well against weak opponents.
The take-away appears to be that we’re in for a rough, rapid ride to chaos. It already seems to be well underway, as Obama — the president, exclamation point — has all but disappeared from sight. Though one reads that he is thoughtfully helping the barbarian chieftains settle into their new role in the capital.